Tarun Kirana Store

Our small kirana shop is located in the Lal Kuan area of Ghaziabad. We have been sitting in this spot for years now, watching the whole town change around us. It is mostly just groceries and the basic things families need for their daily meals that we keep on the shelves. Every morning starts the same way, unlocking the heavy shutters and checking what needs to be restocked from the back room. Ghaziabad gets very dusty in the summer, so we spend a good chunk of our time wiping down the jars and the bags of grain. We carry things like rice, dal, spices, and cleaning soaps. It is nothing special, just a place to grab what you forgot to buy earlier in the week. The neighborhood is crowded and noisy, but we have grown to like it that way. Customers come in and talk about their day while we weigh out their items on the scale. Sometimes the electricity goes out in the heat of the afternoon, so we just sit by the door where it is a bit cooler. We do not have a big staff, just a couple of us working the counter and moving heavy sacks around. We keep a paper ledger for the regulars who pay at the end of the month. It is a lot of work keeping everything organized. Most days are long, but seeing the same familiar faces makes the time go by faster. We just make sure there is enough flour and oil for everyone.